Termite-monitoring device and associated method

ABSTRACT

A camouflaged termite-monitoring device is provided. Such a device comprises a housing ( 100 ) which defines a cavity ( 300 ) and an opening ( 400 ). A perforated bait cartridge ( 475 ) is disposed within the cavity and contains a bait material ( 450 ) adapted to be attractive to termites. A mesh-like member ( 500 ) is operably engaged with the housing so as to cover the opening and to retain the bait cartridge in the cavity. The mesh-like member is further adapted to allow termites to pass therethrough into the cavity and the bait cartridge and to infiltrate the housing. An inspection hatch ( 550 ) is operably engaged with the housing and is configured to allow visual inspection of the bait cartridge within the cavity from outside the housing. Such a visual inspection is performed without removing the housing from engagement with the upper ground surface. An associated method is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device and method for detectingtermites and, more particularly, to a termite-monitoring device andassociated method.

2. Description of Related Art

Subterranean termites are major insect pests and a bane to homeownersthroughout the country. A significant amount of money is spent annuallyby homeowners to repair termite damage and/or to obtain the necessarytermite control treatments. In many instances, the homeowners are notaware of catastrophic termite infestations, or even the presence oftermites, until major damage becomes evident or the damage is found in ahome inspection by a home inspector or pest control professional.However, such inspections are generally only performed annually by pestcontrol professionals, and usually only if the homeowner has entered atermite protection contract. Termites, on the other hand, may infest ahome at any time and an infestation may cause significant damage towooden structures on the premises in a very short period of time. Thus,even with a termite protection contract, a home may suffer significantdamage if a termite infestation is not immediately detected anderadicated.

There exist some products that are configured to be implanted into theground around the premises and contain a bait having an activeingredient that is toxic to termites. However, such products do notreadily permit the homeowner to determine if termites are even presenton the premises. For example, such products must often be removed fromthe ground in order for the homeowner to determine if the bait has beenconsumed. In addition, the product may be covered with mud or otherwiseaffected by moisture in the ground, which may make it difficult for anuntrained homeowner to see the bait, much less determine if the bait hasbeen consumed by termites. Further, in some instances, the products maybe easily covered by debris such as leaves or soil, whereby the productsmay readily become forgotten or overlooked by the homeowner if thehomeowner is not diligent about regular monitoring of the products. Onthe other hand, if the products are made to be readily located by thehomeowner, such products may often undesirably stand out in a commonresidential landscape or be otherwise unsightly on the premises.

Thus, there exists a need for an unobtrusive termite monitoring devicefor allowing expedient detection, by the homeowner, of the presence oftermites on the property, which would thereby permit the homeowner tocontact a pest control professional to inspect and treat the premiseswith an appropriate insecticide to eradicate the termites and preventdamage, or further damage, to wooden structures on the premises.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in oneembodiment, provides a camouflaged termite-monitoring device. Such adevice comprises a housing configured as a landscape element and adaptedto engage an upper ground surface, wherein the housing defines a cavityand an opening to the cavity through a ground-contacting surface of thehousing. A perforated bait cartridge is configured to fit within thecavity and contains a bait material adapted to be attractive totermites. A mesh-like member is operably engaged with the housing aboutthe ground-contacting portion so as to cover the opening and to retainthe bait cartridge in the cavity. The mesh-like member is furtheradapted to allow termites attracted by the bait material to passtherethrough into the cavity and the bait cartridge and to infiltratethe housing. An inspection hatch is operably engaged with the housingand is configured to allow visual inspection of the bait cartridge fromoutside the housing. Such a visual inspection will reveal whethertermites have infiltrated the housing and consumed the bait material,and is performed without removing the housing from engagement with theupper ground surface.

Another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a methodof monitoring for termites at a site. First, a housing configured as alandscape element is engaged with an upper ground surface withoutimplanting the housing in the ground, wherein the housing defines acavity and an opening to the cavity through a ground-contacting surfaceof the housing. The cavity has a perforated bait cartridge disposedtherein, wherein the bait cartridge contains a bait material adapted tobe attractive to termites. The housing has a mesh-like member operablyengaged therewith about the ground-contacting surface so as to cover theopening and to retain the bait cartridge in the cavity. The mesh-likemember is further adapted to allow termites attracted by the baitmaterial to pass therethrough into the cavity and the bait cartridge andto infiltrate the housing. The bait cartridge is then inspected todetermine whether termites have infiltrated the housing and haveconsumed the bait material, without removing the housing from engagementwith the ground, wherein at least one of the bait cartridge, the cavity,and the mesh-like member are configured so as to become increasinglyprominently visible through the inspection hatch as the bait material isconsumed.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention meet the above-identifiedneeds and provide distinct advantages as further detailed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a residential landscapeillustrating several termite monitoring devices according to embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a termite monitoring device, inengagement with an upper ground surface, according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a termite monitoring device,separated from the upper ground surface, according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic assembly drawing of a termite monitoring deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic illustrations of a termite monitoringdevice according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not allembodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legalrequirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

FIGS. 1-4 schematically illustrate a termite monitoring device accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, the device being indicatedgenerally by the numeral 10. Such a device 10 comprises a housing 100extending from a ground-contacting surface 200 and defining a cavity 300therein. The ground-contacting surface 200 further defines an opening400 for providing access to the cavity 300. A bait material 450 isdisposed within a bait cartridge 475 which, in turn, is capable of beingdisposed within the cavity 300. The bait cartridge 475 is secured andretained within the cavity 300 by a mesh-like member 500 operablyengaged with the housing 100 and covering the opening 400. An inspectionhatch 550 is operably engaged with the housing 100 so as to permit avisual inspection of the bait cartridge 475 from outside the housing100, without removing the housing 100 from engagement with the uppersurface 5 of the ground.

The housing 100 may be configured in a variety of shapes and formed of avariety of materials. In some particularly advantageous embodiments ofthe present invention, the housing 100 is configured as a landscapeelement, wherein such an element is preferably unobtrusive or otherwisenatural in a residential setting and thus camouflaged with respect toitems commonly found in a residential yard. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the housing 100 may be configured as a rock, a log, a paving orstepping stone, a brick, a border element for a flowerbed or the like, adecorative figurine, or any other item capable of incorporating thevarious aspects of the present invention as described herein. Moreover,such a housing 100 is preferably adapted to be deployed and used at theupper ground surface 5. That is, the housing 100 is preferablyconfigured such that the user is not required to implant the housing 100in or under the upper ground surface 5, which minimizes the effortrequired from the user for deploying the device 10. However, one skilledin that art will appreciate that, in some instances, the user may haveto prepare the upper ground surface 5 for receiving the device 10,wherein the extent of the preparations may depend on the configurationof the device 10. For instance, where the housing 100 is configured as astepping stone, a brick, or a border element, the upper ground surface 5may have to be leveled or otherwise dug out to some extent in order forthe housing 100 to be seated level and upright with respect to the upperground surface 5. Where the housing 100 is configured as a decorativefigurine, log, or rock, it may be sufficient to just place the housing100 in the desired position at a selected spot on the upper groundsurface 5.

In some instances, the device 100 may also be provided, when and ifnecessary, with an anchor element 50 configured to secure the housing100 to the ground 5, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The anchor element 50may be, for example, integral with the housing 100, attached thereto bya bracket (not shown) or a tether (not shown), or otherwise operablyengageable with the housing 100.

The ground-contacting surface 200 of the housing 100 comprises a surfaceof the housing 100 contacting the upper ground surface 5 when the device10 is deployed in its intended orientation. That is, theground-contacting surface 200 may be considered the “bottom surface” ofthe device 10, in many instances. Accordingly, the ground-contactingsurface 200 may comprise, for example, the bottom surface of adecorative figurine, a flat surface of a stepping stone, a brick, or aborder element, the base of a vase, or the like. The ground-contactingsurface 200 further defines an opening 400 into the cavity 300 in thehousing 100. The opening 400 is generally sufficient for the baitcartridge 475 to be inserted therethrough into the cavity 300. However,in some instances, the housing 100 may define an additional opening (notshown) or, for example, may be configured to have separate engageableportions which may be disengaged in order to insert the bait cartridge475 into the cavity 300 and then re-engaged to contain the baitcartridge 475. The bait cartridge 475 may be comprised of, for example,a thin plastic or metal mesh, wherein the mesh may be configured so asto allow termites and other wood-destroying insects to be able toproceed through the mesh into the interior of the bait cartridge 475,while the mesh may also be configured to selectively prohibit otherinsects from passing therethrough. In some instances, the bait cartridge475 may be formed in the shape of a rectangle, though other suitableshapes are to be considered within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. In some embodiments, the bait material 450 is sealed withinthe bait cartridge 475, wherein the bait cartridge 475 is intended as adisposable and replaceable unit.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the housing 100 may furtherincludes an inspection hatch 550 configured with respect to the housing100 such that the bait cartridge 475 within the cavity 300 may be viewedfrom outside of the housing 100 through the hatch 550. For example, thehatch 550 may be disposed on an upper surface of the housing 100,generally opposite to the ground-contacting surface 200, such that, whenthe device 10 is deployed, the user is able to open and look through thehatch 550 without removing the device 10 from the upper ground surface5. Preferably, the hatch 550 is opaque, or at least semi-opaque, and iscomprised of the same material as the housing 100 so as to present anintegral appearance, or is configured to appear as an appropriatecomponent of the housing 100. In still other instances, the hatch 550may also be configured to be, for example, removable, hinged, orotherwise removably engaged with respect to the housing 100 so as toallow access to the cavity 300 from above the upper ground surface 5without requiring the device 10 to be removed from the upper groundsurface 5. In this manner, the hatch 550 may be opened or removed toinspect the bait cartridge 475 within the cavity 300 and/or to replacethe bait cartridge 475 within the cavity 300. For example, as shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, the housing 100 may be configured with a first portion110 configured to engage the upper ground surface 5 and a second portion120 operably engaged with the first portion 110, wherein the first andsecond portions 110, 120 cooperate to define the cavity 300 and thesecond portion 120 may be regarded as essentially comprising the hatch550. The first and second portions 110, 120 may be, for example,removable, hinged, or otherwise removably engaged with respect to eachother. As shown, one or more hinges 130 may connect the first and secondportions 110, 120, while a latch 140 may removably secure the first andBond portions 110, 120 together opposite the hinge 130. The latch 140may then simply be undone so as to allow the second portion 120 to berotated away from the first portion 110 about the hinge 130 and the baitmaterial 450 within the bait cartridge 475 to be inspected.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the bait material 450 ispreferably selected so as to be attractive to, for example, termites orother wood-destroying insects. In one advantageous embodiment, the baitmaterial 450 is at least partially comprised of, for example, aspen woodfibers or aspen wood having a fibrous texture. Further, the baitmaterial 450, according to some embodiments of the present invention, isnon-toxic to termites and other wood-destroying insects. Accordingly,one advantageous aspect of the present invention is that, when deployed,the device 10 is configured to allow termites or other wood-destroyinginsects to enter the cavity 300 and the bait cartridge 475 through themesh-like member 500, wherein consumption of the bait material 450 maythen be observed or monitored through the hatch 550 without removing thehousing 100 from the upper ground surface 5, or through the mesh-likemember 500 if the housing 100 is removed from the upper ground surface5. Accordingly, if consumption of the bait material 450 is observed,such an observation may be reported to a central station (not shown)comprising the manufacturer of the device 10 or an entity otherwiseassociated with or authorized by the manufacturer of the device 10. Thecentral station may then, for example, notify or dispatch a pest controlprofessional to the residence or may direct that other pest controlprocedures may be undertaken before the occurrence of damage to woodenstructures on the property. However, in some instances, certain baitcartridges 475 may be available having a bait material 450 with anactive ingredient toxic to termites and other wood-destroying insects aswill be appreciated by one skilled in the art. Such bait cartridges 475with a toxic bait material 450 may be provided by the central station orpest control professional or may otherwise be available for replacementin the housing 100 of the bait cartridge 475 having the non-toxic baitmaterial 450. In still other instances, a device 10 according toembodiments of the invention may be initially provided with a baitcartridge containing a toxic bait material 450.

One skilled in the art will further appreciate that the bait cartridge475 containing the bait material 450 may also be formed, as necessary,to facilitate insertion thereof into the cavity 300 through the opening400 and/or through the hatch 550. In some instances, the device 10 maybe configured to be disposable or replaceable, in that the device 10 maybe provided with the bait cartridge 475, or just the bait material 450,already deposited in the cavity 300, wherein neither the mesh-likemember 500 nor the hatch 550 can be opened to remove or replace the baitmaterial 450 and/or the bait cartridge 475. As such, in such instances,if and when the bait material 450 is depleted, the device 10 may bediscarded, replaced with another, or merely left in place as a landscapeelement.

The mesh-like member 500, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, is operably engagedwith the ground-contacting surface 200 of the housing 100 so as to be incontact or at least in close proximity with the upper ground surface 5when the device 10 is installed as a landscape element or, in someinstances, when the housing 100 is just rested on the upper groundsurface 5 in an upright position, as in the case of a decorativefigurine. As such, when the device 10 is deployed, the bait material 450may be in contact with the upper ground surface 5, or otherwise in closeproximity thereto, through the bait cartridge 475 and the mesh-likemember 500. The mesh-like member 500 may also be hinged, removable, orotherwise removably engaged, with respect to the housing 100, but alsoconfigured to cover the opening 400 when in a locked position. Themesh-like member 500 is further configured to define openings 525therein, with the openings 525 being sized to permit the targetedtermites and/or other wood-destroying insects to enter the cavity 300therethrough. However, according to one aspect of the present invention,the openings 525 and/or the mesh-like member 500 are further configuredto exclude other non-targeted insects, which may also be attracted tothe bait material 450, from entering the cavity 300 and the baitcartridge 475, consuming the bait material 450, and providing a falseindication of the presence of the termites or the other wood-destroyinginsects.

In some instances, the bait material 450 is more attractive to termitesor other wood-destroying insects when wet. Accordingly, according to oneadvantageous aspect of the present invention, the bait material 450 mayalso be configured to be self-wicking so as to extract moisture from,for example, the ground or the atmosphere, when the device 10 isdeployed. In other instances, as shown in FIG. 4, the device 10 mayfurther include a water reservoir 600 operably engaged with the housing100 and configured to provide continuous, or at least substantiallycontinuous, wetting of the bait material 450.

According to yet another advantageous aspect of the present invention,the bait cartridge 475, the cavity 300, the mesh-like member 500, orother portions of the housing 100 may be configured to becomeincreasingly prominently visible through the hatch 550 as the baitmaterial 450 becomes consumed by termites or other wood destroyinginsects. For example, the interior surface of the housing 100 definingthe cavity 300 and/or the mesh-like member 500 and/or the bottom surfaceof the bait cartridge 475 may be, for instance, brightly colored.Initially, when the bait cartridge 475 is first inserted in the cavity300, the brightly colored cavity surface, bottom surface of the baitcartridge 475, and/or mesh-like member 500 are covered by the baitmaterial 450 and thus are not visible through the window 550. However,as the bait material 450 becomes consumed, increasingly more of thecavity surface, bottom surface of the bait cartridge 475, and/or themesh-like member 500 will become more prominently visible. As such, theuser will be able to readily determine, at a glance, if the bright colorof the cavity surface, bottom surface of the bait cartridge 475, and/ormesh-like member 500 are visible, thereby indicating the presence oftermites and/or other wood-destroying insects in the vicinity. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the same function maybe accomplished in other manners. For example, the bait material 450itself may be brightly colored, while the cavity surface, bottom surfaceof the bait cartridge 475, and/or the mesh-like member 500 may becolored as the remainder of the housing 100 or in a contrasting color tothe bait material 450. As such, the absence of the bright color of thebait material 450 will also indicate whether termites and/or other wooddestroying insects are present in the cavity 300.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which thisinvention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A camouflaged termite monitoring device, comprising: a housingconfigured as a landscape element and adapted to engage an upper groundsurface, the housing defining a cavity and an opening to the cavitythrough a ground-contacting surface of the housing; a perforated baitcartridge configured to fit within the cavity; a bait material disposedwithin the bait cartridge and adapted to be attractive to termites; amesh-like member operably engaged with the housing about theground-contacting surface so as to cover the opening and to retain thebait cartridge in the cavity, the mesh-like member being further adaptedto allow termites attracted by the bait material to pass therethroughinto the cavity and the bait cartridge and to infiltrate the housing;and an inspection hatch operably engaged with the housing and configuredto allow visual inspection of the bait cartridge within the cavity fromoutside the housing, so as to determine whether termites haveinfiltrated the housing and consumed the bait material in the baitcartridge, without removing the housing from engagement with the upperground surface.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the inspectionhatch is configured to be opaque.
 3. A device according to claim 1wherein at least one of the bait cartridge, the cavity, and themesh-like member are configured so as to become increasingly prominentlyvisible through the inspection hatch as the bait material is consumed.4. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an anchor memberoperably engaged with the housing, the anchor member being adapted tosecure the housing in engagement with the upper ground surface.
 5. Adevice according to claim 1 wherein the housing, the mesh-like member,the bait cartridge, and the bait material are configured to cooperate toallow the bait material to contact the upper ground surface when thehousing is in engagement with the upper ground surface.
 6. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the bait material is configured to beself-wicking.
 7. A device according to claim 1 further comprising awater reservoir disposed within the housing in operable engagement withthe bait material and configured so as to provide substantiallycontinuous wetting of the bait material.
 8. A device according to claim1 wherein the housing further comprises a first portion, the firstportion including the ground-contacting surface and being adapted toengage the upper ground surface, and a second portion cooperating withthe first portion to define the cavity, the second portion beingseparably engaged with the first portion and comprising the inspectionhatch.
 9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the second portion isconnected to the first portion by a hinge.
 10. A method of monitoringfor termites at a site, comprising: engaging a housing configured as alandscape element with an upper ground surface without implanting thehousing in the ground, the housing defining a cavity and an opening tothe cavity through a ground-contacting surface of the housing, thecavity having a perforated bait cartridge disposed therein, the baitcartridge having a bait material disposed therein and adapted to beattractive to termites, the housing having a mesh-like member operablyengaged therewith about the ground-contacting surface so as to cover theopening and to retain the bait cartridge in the cavity, the mesh-likemember being further adapted to allow termites attracted by the baitmaterial to pass therethrough into the cavity and the bait cartridge andto infiltrate the housing; and inspecting the bait cartridge so as todetermine whether termites have infiltrated the housing and consumed thebait material in the bait cartridge, without removing the housing fromengagement with the ground, at least one of the bait cartridge, thecavity, and the mesh-like member being configured so as to becomeincreasingly prominently visible through the inspection hatch as thebait material is consumed.
 11. A method according to claim 10 furthercomprising securing the housing in engagement with the upper groundsurface with an anchor member operably engaged with the housing.
 12. Amethod according to claim 11 wherein inspecting the bait cartridgefurther comprises inspecting the bait cartridge through an opaqueinspection hatch, operably engaged with the housing and configured toallow visual inspection of the bait cartridge within the cavity fromoutside the housing, by separating the inspection hatch from thehousing.
 13. A method according to claim 11 wherein engaging the housingwith the upper ground surface further comprises engaging the housingwith the upper ground surface such that the bait material is in contactwith the upper ground surface through the bait cartridge and themesh-like member.
 14. A method according to claim 11 further comprisingcontinuously wetting the bait material with a water reservoir disposedwithin the housing in operable engagement with the bait material.
 15. Amethod according to claim 10 further comprising reporting a termitepresence to a central station if inspection of the bait cartridgereveals that termites have infiltrated the housing.
 16. A methodaccording to claim 15 further comprising dispatching a pest controlprofessional to the site in response to the termite presence reported tothe central station.